NASA's Orion spacecraft will carry astronauts further into space than ever before using a module based on Europe's Automated Transfer Vehicles (ATV).

ATV's distinctive four-wing solar array is recognizable in this concept. The ATV-derived European Service Module (ESM), sitting directly below Orion's crew capsule, will provide propulsion, power, thermal control, as well as supplying water and gas to the astronauts in the habitable module.

The first Orion mission will be an uncrewed lunar flyby in 2017, returning to Earth's atmosphere at 7 miles per second (11 km/s) — the fastest reentry ever.

carl walkerMember

Posts: 279From: NetherlandsRegistered: Feb 2006

posted 10-16-2014 07:06 AM
This patch is now ready from one of ESA's official providers, Emblemen.net